The Member of Parliament for St George Algernon Watts is clearing the air about reports pertaining to his branch office in Potters and his alleged eviction.
MP Watts — who is more popularly known as “Serpent” — said the decision to surrender the premises was made due to financial considerations.
He explained that maintaining the office had become unsustainable for both the branch and his constituency allowance, especially given the current economic climate and the increasing need for constituent support. The MP says the necessity of prioritizing resources to directly assist constituents during these challenging times was essential.
“As I had expected, this has become political fodder. But it was simply an expense that neither the branch nor my constituency allowance of $2,000 a month could sustain any longer.
He also pointed out that this decision reflects the difficult choices many families and small businesses are facing. He noted the importance of responsible financial management.
“Like families and small businesses all over this country, we had to prioritize. We couldn’t allow the rent to run up to $12 million, like other folks do,” the St. George representative said.
Meanwhile, other members of the UPP leadership have acknowledged the challenges of sustaining branch offices due to high commercial rental fees outside of election periods.
